TV Watchlist: Prime Video Unleashes Prestige Video Game Series 'Fallout,' Larry David Bids 'Curb' Farewell

Plus: Michael Douglas is Benjamin Franklin for Apple TV+ and Hulu has a rom-com with a time traveling twist Week of April 6 – 12 This week is surprisingly full of great options – from the new series based on a beloved video game series (“Fallout” on Prime Video) to a gripping true-crime documentary (“What Jennifer Did” on Netflix) to a new romantic comedy with a high concept spin (“The Greatest Hits” on Hulu), there really is an absurd amount of great stuff to watch. And that’s not even factoring in the end of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” the return of “Chucky” or Michael Douglas dressed up like Benjamin Franklin. Bring it on! On with the television! Fallout Thursday, April 11, Prime Video Source: Prime Video Based on the best-selling video game series (now owned by Bethesda Softworks) that takes place in a futuristic wasteland devastated by nuclear annihilation. True to the RPG elements of the original games, the series is broken into three storylines, each following a specific character – there’s Lucy (Ella Purnell from “Yellowjackets”), a chipper young woman who has lived her entire life in a fortified vault, but when her father (Kyle MacLachlan) is kidnapped, she ventures out into the world for the very first time; Maximus (Aaron Moten), a squire of the Brotherhood of Steel (guys who tromp around in big robotic suits), who also embarks on a dangerous mission); and The Ghoul (Walton Goggins), an old west-style gunslinger who started his life before the bombs fell as a Gene Autrey-type and has since mutated into a fiendish villain (he literally goes into the ground and is dug up every so often). Developed by Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan and created by Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner, “Fallout” combines the epic grandeur of Nolan and Joy’s “Westworld” with more humor and zaniness. (There are far more jokes about sleeping with your cousin in the first episode than you could ever imagine.) This is a world as colorful as it is dangerous, full of retro futuristic flourishes and oversized performances. Who knew the end of the world could be this much fun? [[TRAILER](] Curb Your Enthusiasm Sunday, April 7 at 10 p.m., HBO Source: HBO It’s time to say goodbye to Larry David and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” But hey, at least it’s been a pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good run. The first season aired on HBO way back in 2000. It has gone for 119 episodes (!) over the course of 12 seasons (!!) (“Seinfeld” still beat him by more than 60 episodes.) The final episode is called “No Lessons Learned,” which sounds about right. David’s show felt groundbreaking in many ways, from its metatextuality to the way that it was produced, with scripts coming almost after-the-fact. All of these years later it still feels groundbreaking, unique and laugh-out-loud funny. If Larry wasn’t in his late 70s, we’d say that it feels like something that could run for another decade. [[TRAILER](] The Greatest Hits Friday, April 12, Hulu Source: Hulu The latest film from writer/director Ned Benson, of “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” fame, stars Lucy Boynton, Justin H. Min and future Superman David Corenswet. Here’s the official synopsis from Hulu: “Harriet finds art imitating life when she discovers certain songs can transport her back in time – literally. While she relives the past through memories of her former boyfriend, her time traveling collides with a new love interest in the present.” The film premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival earlier this spring, where it received warm reviews from critics. If you’re looking for an original rom-com from a director with something on his mind and a mischievous, fantastical streak, you could do worse than “The Greatest Hits.” Crank up the volume, grab your favorite concert T-shirt, and get ready to fall in love. [[TRAILER](] What Jennifer Did Wednesday, April 10, Netflix Source: Netflix On the night of November 8, 2010, a 911 call was placed from a home in Ontario, Canada. A woman named Jennifer Pan told the dispatchers that armed gunmen forced their way into her home, tied her up and shot her parents. (Her father was in critical condition; her mother died instantly.) At first Jennifer seemed to be the victim of a terrible home invasion but as the incident was investigated, things took a turn. “What Jennifer Did” is the new documentary from Jenny Popplewell (who also directed the deeply disturbing “American Murder: The Family Next Door”) and will undoubtedly be the doc that everyone is talking about. It “revisits that horrifying night, relying on police interrogation footage and new interviews with detectives and friends of the Pan family to get closer to the truth.” Buckle up. [[TRAILER](] The Last of Us Max Source: HBO This prestige series, which ran on HBO last year, was the first indication that video games could be mined for peak TV, paving the way for this week’s “Fallout” (see above). Similar to “Fallout,” “The Last of Us” takes place in a post-apocalyptic American landscape but instead of nuclear devastation, the world has fallen because of a fungal infection that, in effect, turns folks into mindless zombies. Pedro Pascal plays a morally compromised survivor who agrees to help a young girl (Bella Ramsey) get to safety, since her blood could be the worldwide cure to the infection. The tone is decidedly dourer than “Fallout,” but its visuals are just as arresting. Plus “The Last of Us” is also a good, old-fashioned tearjerker, particularly in a stand-alone episode that features Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett as a pair of survivors who found love at the end of the world. If for some reason you missed this expertly crafted show or are looking for a reason to revisit it, consider this the reason. At the very least it will make the wait for season 2 (which will add new cast members in the form of Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced and Danny Ramirez) somewhat less excruciating. [[WATCH](] Source: Apple TV+ “Two for One” Saturday, April 6 at 8 p.m., TCM First, to answer your question: yes, TCM still exists. And yes, Ben Mankiewicz is still, incredibly, employed there. It’s Mankiewicz who hosts this new show, where he sits down with prominent filmmakers (including Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, Nicole Holofcener and Todd Haynes) to present and talk about two films of their choosing. Should be a lively discussion and lead to you watching some very good films. There is literally no downside! [[TRAILER](] “Mr. Bates vs. the Post Office” Sunday, April 7 at 9 p.m., PBS Sure, a limited Masterpiece series about a scandal involving the British Post Office (when 700+ sub-postmasters were accused of stealing money from the post office) doesn’t sound like the most thrilling entertainment. But the actual scandal is fascinating, stretching more than two decades and involving thousands of wronged British citizens, but it also features some great actors (led by Toby Jones) and was a huge critical success when it launched on British television earlier this year (it’s currently rocking an 80 on Metacritic). So, yes, appointment television. Just remember to grab the mail first. [[TRAILER](] “Chucky” Wednesday, April 10 at 10 p.m., USA/Syfy The third season of “Chucky,” the television spinoff of the popular murderous doll horror franchise, started back in October 2023, but thanks to the two strikes and other complications, couldn’t finish the season until now. There will be four episodes in this batch, ending in early May. Nothing is quite as unstoppable as Chucky and the delightful television franchise he inspired. May it never end. [[TRAILER](] “Franklin” Friday, April 12, Apple TV+ Hot on the heels of “Manhunt,” Apple TV+ is ready to unleash its next historical prestige drama. “Franklin,” which stars Michael Douglas as Benjamin Franklin, follows the Founding Father as he “embarks on a secret mission to France – with the fate of American independence hanging in the balance.” Based on Stacy Schiff's 2005 book “A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America,” it also stars Noah Jupe, Marc Duret, Ludivine Sagnier and Daniel Mays, “Franklin” was written by Kirk Ellis and Howard Korder, with the first episode directed by the great Tim Van Patten (“The Sopranos,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “Perry Mason”). History comes to life! [[TRAILER](] “Good Times” Friday, April 12, Netflix Netflix describes this as an “edgy, irreverent reimagining of the TV classic.” Also: it’s animated. The first trailer was polarizing for sure, with some die-hard fans of the original “Good Times” series, executive produced by Norman Lear, which ran from 1974 to 1979, put off by the more adult sensibilities and R-rated humor. (Lear worked on the animated series before his death; he also makes a cameo in one of the episodes.) This new series is executive produced by Stephen Curry and Seth MacFarlane, with showrunner and executive producer Ranada Shepard leading the charge. The new show is meant to “deal with modern-day issues, retaining the feeling of the original ‘Good Times’” (according to the official synopsis) and features the voices of J.B. Smoove, Jay Pharoah and Marsai Martin. Sounds dy-no-mite to us. [[TRAILER](] 2034 Armacost Ave. | Los Angeles, CA 90025 [Unsubscribe](